Goodbye Tokyo, I'll miss you!

Sorry I've been away from my blog for a little while. Life has been a little crazy the last few weeks and I'm finally able to sit down and think about this blog.

Leaving Tokyo last week was bittersweet. There are so many people and things I'll miss:

Friends/Students: Including Judy, Courtney, Colleen, Jonathan, Jeremy, Eric, Satoko, Steve, Val, Amanda, Michael, Devon, David, Hiroko, Jean, Rieko, Hisae, Rumiko, Michiko, Emi, Chikako, Mayuko, Ryosuke, Tadashi, Chieko, Sachiko, Yohei, Rika, Yumi, Sho, Kosaku, Mayumi, Hiroko, Fumiko, Aki, Naombu, and friends who have already left--Michelle, Wendy, Emma, Elisa.

Food/Beverages: Impeccably fresh sushi and sashimi such as ebi, ikura, uni, maguro, and hamachi; bento; tofu (the REAL kind) and yuba; burdock root salads, mountain potatoes and all the other beautiful fruit and vegetables; Japanese tsukemono (pickles); sake (the huge variety), chu-hi (my beverage of choice); and especially the beauty and artistry of every food presentation which never failed to thrill me.

Trains: Really! Most of the time I was lucky enough to ride on less crowded trains. As long as you don't have to ride trains during rush hour, there's no better transportation service in the world than the reliable and convenient train system in Japan. While expensive, it nevertheless meant I never needed a car and could go anywhere I wanted quickly and safely.

Karaoke: Lots of fun with friends!

Konbinis: Convenience stores that really are convenient! There's almost always at least one near every train station or within two or three blocks from where anyone lives. Most of them sell bentos that are much healthier than the traditional hotdogs or fake cheese-laden nachos and other crap that's available in American convenience stores.

Vending Machines: You name it, you can find it in a vending machine!

Places: Shibuya--especially the Food Show, Hachiko (for meeting people), the BIG crossing, Bic Camera, the Apple Store, 0101, Blister, Loft, and millions more! Omotesando, Tameike-sanno, Ginza, Hiro, Ebisu, Roppongi, Shinjuku, Yoyogi park, Harajuku, Jiyugaoka, and on and on and on.

Izakaya: All those great, inexpensive places to go to eat and/or drink with friends after work.

Kimono: The gorgeous patterns and colors!

Temples and Shrines: Such beautiful places.

Festivals and Fireworks: Seems like there's always something happening.

There are just so many more things, but for now that's the highlight of my memories of Japan.

It's been quite an amazing journey these past three years and I hope I never forget it (hopefully, this blog will be my biggest reminder).

My next post will be about some of my feelings since arriving back in the U.S. Still haven't figured out what to do with this blog--change its name or what exactly? Anyway, I'll continue blogging under "Gambatte!" until I do decide. I hope you'll stay tuned.

How many people does it take to. . .?

OK, here's a perfect example of a very typical situation in Tokyo. Something's malfunctioning with the automatic gates in the train station. What to do? Send in eight guys--seven to watch and one to do the work. You can't see the eighth guy in the picture, but he's hunkered down on the floor in front of the four guys on the left. I see this sort of thing all the time and it really explains why everything costs so much in Japan!

Another thing you can't see in this picture is, I assume, the uniformed station master standing just out of range of my viewfinder. He saw me aiming my camera and stepped back.

Only one week left in Japan

Here's the guy I had a date with yesterday. OK, so maybe it wasn't really t-h-a-t kind of date, but he was all smiley and cute and I just had to take a picture of him. (Too bad it looks like he's got a laundry pole going through his head or that he's wearing some kind of strange laundry hat, but hey, it's a small patio!) He was from the shipping company and came to get my boxes. That's an apron he's wearing over his jeans, but I don't know what it says--probably the name of the shipping company.

I was surprised to see only one guy! Isn't this Japan, the country where it takes at least two people to do any one task? He was supposed to show up between 5:30 and 6:00 but called me at 4:00 to say he would be there early, at 4:30. Of course, all this was in Japanese. I've learned to use very basic English in these situations where neither of us can understand each other, so I said, "five-three-zero?" And he laughed and said, "four-three-zero." I said, "OK, see you then." "Hai," he said.

Anyway, when he got to my apartment there was the language barrier again as I attempted to ask him if he had any stickers for marking certain boxes "FRAGILE" to which he just smiled in that nervous "what the hell is she saying?" kind of way. This time I had to call the shipping company which is run by a bi-cultural couple, and explain what I wanted. She then asked to speak to Mr. Cute Shipper Guy and explained what I wanted. He did a lot of "Hai, hai, hai, hai!" and hung up. In a minute or two my phone rang and it was the shipping company apologizing for the guy having hung up before she could tell me that he said he didn't have any labels with him but would put them on the boxes I had marked "Fragile" later.

We'll see.

So, now I must focus on getting rid of the stuff that didn't go at the sayonara sale, cleaning my frig, and packing everything that's left into my suitcases. I also have to handle my cell phone cancellation (see Rants & Raves below) go to the bank to exchange money, and buy a few small gifts for my managers and staff. Oh, and work. Saturday is my last day at work and I'll leave Japan on May 29th.

Things are moving too fast!

Sayonara sale

Today I hauled a bunch of stuff out on a little patio adjacent to my apartment and had a Sayonara Sale. While I don't know any of my neighbors, except to bow slightly and say a quick hello, they seemed most eager to see what I had on offer.


One neighbor has a cute little 3-year-old grandchild who came to see what was going on. I had anticipated her interest and had saved a pink pig bathroom set for her (no, I didn't buy it, it was given to me by one of my zany friends) and she was thrilled. She, her grandparents, and her mom and dad took the bulk of my things. Almost everything was free but they insisted on giving me a little money nevertheless.

Then I was totally surprised when one of their other grandchildren handed me a bag with two cans of chilled beer inside! I didn't realize until much later that the grandfather had dropped a 500 yen coin inside the bag. I do remember that he beamed as he watched his grandson hand it to me. Nobody spoke much English, and of course I don't speak Japanese, but it will be one of my fondest memories of Japan.

While I've heard--and seen firsthand--that most Japanese just toss their unwanted items in the trash, it made me feel good knowing that I wasn't adding too much to the massive landfills that must exist around Japan. Everyone who walked down my street stopped to dig through items and usually found a few things to take home. One lady came back about five times, as did the grandparents and their grandchild.

All in all, I think everyone felt a little happier with the "treasures" they took home, and I know I felt a little bit of an ache in my heart as I realized that in about a week I will be leaving Japan. Today erased some of the memories of the irritating things about Tokyo, and reminded me that no matter what country or city, people can interract with kindness and friendship. And best of all, today showed me once again that language is no barrier to what the heart can feel.

Segoi! (セゴイ！)

Why am I even surprised?

There's a good reason why so many people are employed in Japan. Many of them have been given jobs that do nothing more than make it extremely difficult for anyone to do things in a timely way. It goes beyond bureaucracy. How anyone could use the Japanese business model as a model of efficiency is truly beyond my grasp.

Yesterday my landlady and I were on the phone for half an hour trying to cancel my cell phone account. First they asked her a million questions, then they asked me to repeat everything in English (although the woman taking the information spoke no English). Then, after I thought everything was completed, my landlady handed me the phone and said they had a bi-lingual person who could talk to me in English. Why didn't they do that in the first place? So, I went through the whole thing again, explaining that I was leaving Japan and needed to cancel my cell phone. Our conversation went on and on, just like the previous two conversations, and then she cheerfully thanked me for using SoftBank--and finished by saying, "Now you must go to the SoftBank shop and complete your cancelation. Please plan on one hour at the shop to do this."

"WHAT?" I asked incredulously. "Are you telling me that after talking to you and your colleagues for the past 30 minutes I STILL have to go, in person, to a SoftBank shop and that it will take me one hour to complete the cancellation?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, but you must go to the shop," she said cheerfully.

"But I need my phone until the morning of my departure. I won't have time to go to the SoftBank shop as I'm going to be, well, just a little freaking busy!"

"Oh," she said with that perky, smiley voice, "you can do it at the airport! We have two shops there!"

Right. Like I want to go to the airport an extra hour earlier just so I can have the privilege of cancelling my phone.

Some of my friends at work told me that SoftBank tries to talk people out of cancelling their phone service or to make it nearly impossible for them to do so. Reminds me of AOL.

Ask me if I'd ever use a SoftBank phone again.

For Jenn on Mother's Day

There's nothing more wonderful than being a mother, and I try to remember that every day and give thanks. There's also no job more difficult than being a mother, and I don't think enough women are appreciated for everything they do for their children.

When my daughter was finally handed to me in the hospital after a very long and difficult labor, I remember the look on her face as we eyed each other. It was like, "So, this is you!" we said to each other. I studied her face, especially her eyes, and thought, "What a wise old soul you are!"

Over the years, with each passing stage of her childhood, I marveled at the growing individual who had once stared into my eyes as that unblinking newborn, and I tried to imagine what she would be like as a grown woman. The years went by much too quickly! People always tell you, "Enjoy your child now because the years will fly by and before you know it, she will be an adult," but you never believe it.

Those childhood years are long gone now, and my beautiful daughter, my best friend, is 35 years old.

Our years together have not been without the ups and downs that any relationship goes through, especially those teenage years, but now we've found our rhythm and know how to share our thoughts and dreams. We've grown comfortable with each other.

Unfortunately, I never felt that way about my own mother. She was always, as I remember, someone who pushed people away with her strange and unloving behavior. I vowed it would never be like that if I were lucky enough to have a daughter. I wanted desperately to be a mother and to show my child how much she was loved. I never wanted her to doubt her place in my heart.

As if by some miracle, that wish came true. Thank you, Jenn, for making me a mom, and thank you Mom, wherever you are, for inspiring me to be a better mother.

In a mad rush

Sorry I haven't had time to post much lately. I'm busy sorting, pitching, and packing to leave Tokyo on May 29th. It's all happening so fast that my head is spinning.

On top of all that, I decided to work Golden Week, the week of four holidays and Children's Day. It's a nice way to make a little extra money, and I didn't have plans to go anywhere anyway. Still, I sort of regret not taking the time to go see more of Japan. I have to admit I'm not good at going places by myself (although I came all the way to Japan by myself!), especially when I don't speak the language. The hoped-for visits by family and friends never materialized, unfortunately, so I ended up working most holidays and only taking vacations home to the U.S.

Anyway, I'm feeling very excited about returning home. It will be great to be able to read signs and find familiar things in grocery stores and restaurants. I'm really looking forward to eating Mexican food again!

Ironically, the entire time I've lived in Japan I've wanted a cat, which was a definite no-no with my landladies. After moving to my new apartment last October, I thought long and hard about getting a cat but decided not to because I didn't know what my plans were, and didn't want to have to consider shipping a cat by air. In the last 10 days or so, a 3-legged cat has decided to take up residence on my patio, next to my washing machine. "She's" very skinny, in poor health, and very shy. I've put out food for her and she has rewarded me with her loyal presence each morning and evening. I wonder about what might have happened to her poor leg, and today as she was cleaning herself in the sunshine, I got a better look through my sliding door. I thought maybe it was a birth defect, but it looks like it was cut off. Poor baby! I wonder what her story is and wish I could ask her, but she apparently doesn't speak English and I don't speak Japanese!

Cat's have a very difficult life in Tokyo. Most of them have some kind of eye and nose congestion. Many of them have feline AIDS, I'm told. People don't seem to consider spaying or neutering their cats, so the population grows because they're outdoor cats. So, life as a street cat is just plain tough.

Fortunately, I have a close friend who is very active in cat welfare in Tokyo and has offered to come trap the little gal, take her to a vet for neutering, get her on antibiotics, and find a good home for her. I sure hope she's successful! This little kitty has had more trauma than any cat deserves, and I hope she can spend the rest of her days being loved and cared for properly.

DaVinci and more codes!

Here's a fascinating video about the latest in code decryption at Rosslyn Chapel, which was featured in the movie, The DaVinci Code.

Apparently, there were codes embedded onto some of the carvings inside the chapel. A father and son, who became intrigued by the carvings have deciphered a musical score based on these geometric figures. You can listen to a sampling of this score here.

What interests me so much about this discovery is that I've taught classes about the meaning of such symbols and images. Nothing, absolutely nothing in Renaissance history, was put into a painting, sculpture or other piece of art that didn't have meaning on many levels. While we might look at things from a purely esthetic point of view, artists from those midieval times embedded "secrets" into their art. Leonardo DaVinci was a master of this technique.

The other thing I loved about this discovery is the evidence of how sound waves create patterns. I've studied this phenomenon for a while and have found it to be mesmerizing to watch! You can achieve the same results by using large speakers and setting a flat tray filled with sand on top of the speaker. If you play one musical note at a time through that speaker, the sand will rearrange itself into a geometric pattern. Maybe crop circles are formed from some kind of similar phenomenon.

So, watch the video and see for yourself!

A birthday announcement

Today is my birthday and it will be the last one spent in Japan. After 3 years, I'm ready to go back home to America. Being an expat has been a wonderful and exciting adventure, but it's time to leave.

Last night I told my boss I was leaving the end of May. Just saying those words gave a new reality to this plan, and frightens me a little. I don't have another job yet, but will stay with my daughter and her husband while I work something out.

Six weeks will go very quickly. Wow! Can't believe I'm leaving! There's so much to do before then that my head is starting to spin.

I might have to rethink my blog name, although it seems to fit no matter where I'm living. Gambatte is Japanese for something like "keep trying to do your best" or "don't give up." So, even though I will be leaving Japan, I'll definitely keep trying to do my best.

More about this later.

State of the art in Japan

Here's an advertisement for a new phone one of my students just bought. You can actually watch TV on the screen that flips into a horizontal position. It can also be used for web browsing, spreadsheets, Word documents, etc.

The phones in Japan are quite advanced and have all kinds of special features. There's even a phone that you can use to buy things from vending machines, convenience stores, and other places. Just wave a specially equipped cell phone in front of a sensor and the payment goes on your phone bill.



Some of the latest technology includes a bar code feature where you can use the camera to take a picture of a URL, which will then be automatically added to your address book, thus avoiding the need to type it yourself.

There are quite a few advertisements popping up around Tokyo that include a bar code type of "mosaic" pattern that can talk to your cell phone. For a picture of one of these mosaics and a more indepth explanation of this technology, take a look at the following article in the New York Times.

"In Japan, McDonald's customers can already point their cellphones at the wrapping on their hamburgers and get nutrition information on their screens. Users there can also point their phones at magazine ads to receive insurance quotes, and board airplanes using their phones rather than paper tickets. And film promoters can send their movie trailers from billboards."

There are many more articles about this Radio Frequency ID (RFID) technolody and its applications here and here.

Whether or not this cell phone feature is anything I want to use, I can't say. Maybe it's just one more way for advertisers to snag consumers, and believe me when I say, "Nobody likes shopping more than the Japanese."

Can this be true?

Yesterday I was teaching a lesson to a Japanese business man, probably in his late 20s or early 30s. The lesson was about ordering something over the phone and we were doing a roleplay where he was buying a sweater from Land's End.

When we got to the part about giving his credit card information, he appeared to be baffled. I asked him to just make up a credit card number and he said, "1234." Then I said, "Well, credit cards usually have a lot more numbers," and wrote on the whiteboard to show him a long row of numbers resembling most credit cards. He looked surprised to see so many numbers.

Then I asked him for the expiration date and again, the same look of total confusion. It took what seemed like an unbelievable amount of effort and simplification to explain to him the concept of "expiration date." Finally, I said, "Let's look at one of your credit cards as an example."

"I don't have any credit cards," he said.

Curious and wondering if it was just him or if it ran in the family, I asked incredulously, "Really? What about your parents? Do they have any credit cards?"

"No," he said, "cash only."

Even though it might sound a little strange, I had to step back for a moment to take it all in. Is it really possible to live in the 21st century without a credit card?

It's actually not such a bad idea, when you stop to think about it. In America, where banks send a slew of zero-interest credit cards out in the mail to recent high school graduates, and where so many people find themselves in mountains of credit card debt, a "cash-only" society might be a wonderful thing!

Update: From my experience so far, most Japanese I've met have at least one credit card. This student was probably in the minority.

Gratitude: Is it on your to-do list today?

I must constantly remind myself to be grateful for everything in my life--the joys and the sorrows.

Visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™     Get your own VisualDNA™

Want to know more about yourself? Take a stroll through Imagini and find your own visual DNA.

I used to teach workshops in self-discovery, and images were the basic communication tools we used to explore our life paths. Everyone holds their own unique symbols and images deep inside their consciousness, and the Imagini Web site taps into some of those images.

While it's fun and interesting to play around with those images, I don't necessarily agree with the interpretations because we each interpret life through our own life filters. By that I mean that while a rose, for example, could represent the exquisiteness of nature, it could also be someone else's symbol for a broken heart.

Anyway, enjoy Imagini !

Easter humor

OK, OK, I know I've posted this picture before, but it still makes me laugh.

And just for good measure, here's another one.

Hanami 花見 in Tokyo

Once again, it's cherry-blossom time in Japan. Today I strolled through the campus near me and took pictures of thousands of people flower viewing (called Hanami 花見) and having their picnics under the outstretched arms of 100-year-old cherry trees. It was so beautiful! Unfortunately, I don't have a fancy camera that takes gorgeous shots, but these will still give you an idea of the beauty of this time of year. (If you click on the pictures, you can see a larger image. )

The weather was perfect—although unseasonably warm—at almost 70 degrees.





It was wonderful to see so many families out enjoying the day. Children were everywhere!



Petals swirled with each gust of light wind, and the ground started turning pink.





Here are a few pictures of the cherry trees right around the corner from where I work in Jiyugaoka. These were taken early in the morning, so not many people were around. Last year the city cleared out all the bicycle parking around the cherry trees and added lots of park benches. For Hanami, they hung pink lanterns so people could gather under the trees at night to view the flowers and have their parties.






It's such a shame that this highly anticipated event lasts only one week. Nevertheless, it's quite a sight to see!

Need a brawny man for those lonely nights?

I know, I know. That title sounds X-rated, but if you'd like a good laugh (and can be patient enough to wait for the videos to load) check out this brawny guy

I think the Web site is either run by Brawny, the paper towel company, or just a spoof on their products, hence the paper towels being ripped off a roll while the video is loading. You can select videos from a menu that offers choices such as pre-made or custom movies. The pre-made titles are things like "Your Hair, It's Perfect," "That Thing You're Going Through," or "Feeling Lonely."

You can customize your selection and choose titles such as "Pleasantly Surprised," "The Warmest Welcome," "A Spider," "Freshen Up," "Ten Tired Toes," and more. You can even select "en francais" for those women who are hopeless romantics, although his accent is laughable.

The guy is dressed in a flannel plaid shirt and cords, and seems to live in a cabin with a warm, glowing fire. He's got that rough-around-the-edges look, including a little bit of face stubble. He speaks intimately to the camera in a low, sexy, pillow-talk style and says things like, "Please come in. Make yourself at home. That's the oven, I'm just baking some fresh bread.. .listen to me talking, I want to hear more about you, what do you dream about?"

He tries so hard to sound caring, loving, and gentle. For instance, in one of the videos, he's talking about people who "don't spend enough time just talking, taking the time to connect with each other." As he's saying this, he's putting a big leather glove on one hand and reaching out his cabin window. For a second we see what looks ridiculously like a statue of a small hawk perched on his gloved hand, and hear the sound of flapping wings as he then "releases" it out the window and says, "Fire away, friend. That's what it's all about, making friends, bonding..."

In another video, he's walking downstairs wearing his tool belt and acts surprised to see someone. "Hey, I didn't know you were here! I was just upstairs building you an armoir."

What makes it even funnier is that he's such a dufus! He's always doing things like forgetting the words to the songs he sings, or saying something like, "There's a word in German, for a woman who's magnetic, has a nurturing nature, gives everything to her family, and has a beautiful smile. (beat) I don't know what it is."

Anyway, it's pretty funny.

Thanks for the link, Diana!

My neighbor, the cellist

One of the things I'm grateful for is living next door to a concert cellist. He practices for half an hour or so almost every morning, which means I'm treated to my own private classical music performance. He's very good, and I never hear any mistakes, but have to admit, I probably wouldn't notice them even if he did make them. The cello is one of my absolutely favorite instruments and I was thrilled to know there was a cellist living next door. Although I don't really know him well at all, he did tell me that he and Yo-Yo Ma were classmates at Julliard back quite a few years ago.

Now, if only I could get one of my other neighbors to put away his keyboards and djembe drum. He lives right above me, and plays the same insipid songs--and makes the same mistakes--over and over. One of his favorites is the Carpteners, "Close to You." A few days ago he played the djembe all day and evening until I finally put on some headphones and watched a movie.

Just an ordinary day in Shibuya

At least a few times a month I go to Shibuya to shop, eat out with friends, or whatever. This is one of the things I dread the most--the unbelievable crowds! I've gotten better at making my way through them, as long as I pretend I'm a salmon swimming upstream. These are the moments when I definitely feel the need to gird my loins!

The Shibuya Crossing is the world's busiest intersection. I've read that about one million people cross here per day, and about 1,500 traverse every three minutes at each light change, 80% of them carrying a mobile phone.

It's quite an experience.

Step away from the sushi and no one will get hurt

Does the Agriculture Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka have nothing better to do with his time?

I mean, aren't there more pressing things to worry about? Like avian flu, or BSE (mad cow disease)?

Friday, Matsuoka gave the go-ahead to creating a label for "authentic" Japanese sushi. Apparently, there's been grave concern in Japan that people worldwide are eating sushi that's not, well, real Japanese sushi. They're worried about the bastardization of their cuisine, but not about the derision they face by the international community over this asinine labeling idea, most of which will be paid for by the Japanese government.



Not only are the purists worried about the authenticity of sushi ingredients, but also the atmosphere of the restaurants! I guess that means if you had a restaurant that didn't look enough like a "real" Japanese restaurant, you could not get a Japanese Seal of Sushi Restaurant Authenticity to post in your window.

I wish I were kidding, folks, but I'm not!

So, here's something to ponder: In almost any supermarket or convenience store in Japan, French red wine is sold chilled which would make a French winemaker weep. Spaghetti, one of the most popular dishes in Tokyo, is made with slices of bacon or regular ham and tastes curiously sweet. Pizzas are made with corn, tuna, mayonnaise, octopus, boiled eggs, natto, and nine million other ingredients that are definitely not "authentic" Italian cuisine. New York style cheesecake, cut into tiny rectangles, looks more like a tart than a cheesecake and has very little cream cheese. Mexican cuisine is made with almost no authentic Mexican ingredients.

Should food authenticity labels be required in "ethnic" restaurants in Japan? Or is Japanese food considered the only food so pure, so creative, or so intensely flavorful to require "protection" from those who would bastardize it?



It's an idea like food authenticity labeling that sets Japan apart from the rest of the world. To attempt to know the Japanese mind is not for the faint of heart.

And speaking of "not for the faint of heart," here's a picture of what's become my favorite sushi, even though it took me over two years of living in Tokyo before I would even try it because it looked downright scary. It reminded me of little golden-colored cat tongues. Here's uni, a sweet, buttery-soft sea urchin, that tastes like a piece of heaven, but only if it's impeccably fresh.



And finally, do you think there should be an all-out ban on things that are disguised to look like sushi, but that aren't actually sushi? There are millions of fake sushi items here in Japan, but this one is my favorite! Must look for one of these USB computer memory sticks!

Construction worker turned samurai?

Ever since coming to Tokyo almost three years ago, I've wanted to post a picture of the clothing that a typical construction worker wears. I've seen these uniforms in dark blue, medium blue, gray, and sometimes white.

I can't imagine how these "uniforms" can be practical or more important, safe! It seems to me that all that extra fabric would get caught in things, and the foot covering that is typically worn looks like soft-soled, high-topped slippers. In America, construction workers usually wear steel-toed boots, in case something heavy falls on their feet. I'm not sure, but I think the wide-legged pants are tucked into the shoes somehow.

Usually, I see the construction guys wearing bandanas wrapped tightly around their heads, and in the summer, the bandanas are usually replaced with towels. They wear matching jackets in the winter, and in the summer they wear sleeveless t-shirts or sweatshirts. Often their heads are either shaved or their hair is pulled back in ponytails. In a way, the outfit has somewhat of a samurai look to it. Maybe that's why it's so appealing to the young, tough-looking guys who wear them.

NOTE: By no means should anyone assume that construction workers in Japan look this hot !

UPDATE: It must be spring. I just saw a guy dressed in a lavender version of this outfit!

Parasite singles

According to Wikipedia:

Many young Japanese adults choose to live with their parents, rather than seek a separate residence, a phenomenon known as parasite singles (パラサイトシングル). A 1998 survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare indicated that about 60% of single Japanese men and 80% of single women between the ages of 20 and 34 lived with their parents.

That survey was taken almost 10 years ago. I wonder if it's changed any since that time. With the cost of living in Tokyo, I can imagine that the numbers are even higher now.

Snow-less in Tokyo

"For the first time in 130 years, Tokyo has gone without snow. In what has been a very mild winter, retailers have been disappointed with the lull in sales for winter related goods."

This winter was a big disappointment for me as well because of the unusually warm temperatures. Many days in January were in the 50s and the month closed at 59 (15C) degrees. In mid-February, we got all the way up to 64 (18C).

We never even hit freezing at all this winter, and now spring is already here, or so it seems. Ume, or Japanese apricot, bloomed the first week of February, and the sakura, or cherry, blossoms will soon follow. My heavy winter coat never made it out of storage, and most of my sweaters and wool scarves have remained folded in a drawer. The previous two winters in Tokyo were bitter cold with ferocious wind.

While I'm not crazy about the cold, I'd prefer it any day over the hideous, sweltering heat that permeates this country for six months. I dread its return. Maybe it's my Irish genes, but I think cooler weather is much healthier.

Totally hysterical!

This is one of the funniest videos I've ever seen. It's a tongue-in-cheek version of how to eat at a sushi restaurant. It focuses on the Japanese view of preciseness, perfection and, most important, manners. Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you get at least one taste of delicious chocolate today! Don't these chocolate-dipped strawberries make your mouth water?

For those of you uninitiated in the Japanese culture of Valentine's Day, this is the day that WOMEN give chocolates to men! Somehow, this Western tradition got, um, reinterpreted.

The custom did a backwards somersault. Men don't give chocolates until a month later, on March 14, called White Day. This is apparently the day when they reciprocate and give chocolates to the woman or women who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day. In my twisted mind, I can't help wondering if the men just recycle their Valentine's Day chocolates. Japanese men, I hear, aren't known for being especially romantic, or even for remembering their wife's birthday, or their wedding anniversary.

According to Wikipedia, White Day started in 1965 when a marshmallow manufacturer thought men should reciprocate and give candy to women. It was originally called Marshmallow Day. You can probably understand why something called Marshmallow Day wasn't especially catchy.

So, in 1980 a chocolate maker decided that it would be a great marketing ploy to create White Day and make white chocolates for women. Since most women don't like white chocolate here (too sweet), the chocolate makers added dark chocolates to their holiday selections. It's still called White Day, but it's OK to give white or dark chocolates.

Puzzles of Daily Life in Tokyo

Here's a great video from Mediatinker. It will give you an idea of some of the things I've experienced since living in Tokyo. I never learned Japanese, except for sumimasen and arigatou, and a smattering of a few other short phrases. And, as much as I've tried, I also don't know kanji, katakana or hiragana, but somehow I've managed to stumble through my three years here. I'm hopeless when it comes to languages other than my own.

Top 10 Rants

Don't know why, but lately I've been feeling really annoyed by some of the things I experience here in Tokyo. Usually I can just brush it off, but suddenly I feel like I'm drowning in it. Everywhere I turn, I'm ready to go postal and I've got to get over this!

Rant 1
Why can't people divide the street or sidewalk in half--one half going one direction and the other half going the other direction? I mean, cars move that way, right? Why not people?!!! This rant also includes the stairs in train stations which are clearly posted with "up" and "down" arrows, yet no one pays any attention to them.

Rant 2
And, why can't people walk in a sraight line insead of meandering all over the place like they've taken up residence on an ant hill?

Rant 3
And speaking of walking, why in Hell do people have to walk while reading their keitai (cell phone)? Picture a million people walking along at a quick pace, and then suddenly the person in front of you stops with no warning as they decide at that very moment to read something of interest on their cellphone! I can't tell you the number of times this has nearly caused a chain reaction freeway-like pileup!

Rant 4
Has anyone over here ever heard of holding a door open for the person behind them? How many more times am I going to get a door released in my face? Do I need to start wearing a face guard? Now I've taken to shouting, "Thank you!" every time someone does that. The really strange thing is that no one apologizes!

Rant 5
Picture me getting to my train platform early. I get there early so I can stand at the front of the line which you would think would ensure me of a better chance of getting a seat on the train. At the last second, just as the door opens and before anyone can even get off the train, some obachan (old woman) dashes in from the side and pushes her way past everyone else to grab the only seat left on the train! Don't let those old gals fool you! They're as spry as chickens and as determined as hungry wolves!

Rant 6
Men, outside of a social situation or face-to-face meeting, are rude, rude, rude! For all that bowing and humility they show on the TV news when they've been caught falsifying their company's financial reports, their manners fly out the window once they leave the office. Men here feel it's their inalienable right to go first or be first, and what's worse is that the women here accept that! Men do not hold doors open for women, pull chairs out, help with coats, carry packages, or do anything else that sets gentlemen apart from. . .from. . .whatever is the opposite of gentlemen!

Rant 7
Bicycles are a menace and anyone riding one should be exiled to some country where there are only mountains and rocks! Bicyclists and pedestrians are two opposing forces that should never come together in a crowded city of 30 million people. I'm fed up with dodging bicycles and if I hear one more chirp from those ridiculous bicycle warning bells, I'm going to jam my umbrella into their spokes!

Rant 8
Speaking of bicycles, what size brain do you think it takes to not realize that you shouldn't park directly in front of doors to shops, banks, grocery stores, etc.? This seems so obvious, yet everywhere I go, there are those damned bicycles to climb over!

Rant 8
Double and triple bagging. Is it really necessary to put my newly purchased undies inside a small bag, seal it with tape, and then place that bag inside another larger bag which is also sealed with tape? If I buy a bottle of dish soap when I'm at the supermarket, does that need to go inside a separate bag before it goes into a larger bag? When I buy a bag of pickeled vegetables that's already factory sealed and isn't leaking on grocery shelves, why is it necessary to put them inside separate little bags before they go inside my shopping bag?

Rant 10
Do mothers here not realize that they should hold the hands of their very young children while on escalators? I nearly had a heart attack one day when I saw a little girl, about 4 years old, race up ahead of her mother and FALL TWO STEPS AWAY FROM THE TOP OF THE ESCALATOR WITH HER HANDS SPREAD OUT IN FRONT OF HER! I was too far away to quickly yank her up, but somehow she stood up at the last split second before her hands could go into the disappearing step! The mother looked oblivious to the danger. I almost never see mothers holding their children's hands, even when they're getting on and off trains. I've heard stories here enough times about small children falling between the trains and the platforms to think people would be a little more careful with their children. While infant mortality rates are among the lowest in the world at birth, the statistics shoot up frighteningly high between 2 and 4 years old.

So those are my rants. I just needed to get them off my chest. I'm really not an angry, miserable person. Really. . .

A traditional Japanese wedding

One of our staff got married over the Christmas holidays. She had a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony where she wore a white kimono.

Here's a picture of her and her mother.



The bride changed outfits several times, and each change included a change of flowers as well! This wedding had to have cost a fortune! Here she is in her western-style wedding dress.



And then there was the mile-high cake, although you can't see the fourth layer in this shot!



And this gorgeous red gown!



An amazing wedding!

Time out to reflect & do more wishful thinking

Well, I ALMOST made it a full year without getting sick. It would have been a year in February. Right now, I'm sitting in bed with my laptop, eyes and nose running, chest hurting, coughing, sneezing. . . Blech! Maybe this is just an opportunity to take a time out and reflect on the new year.

What do I want in 2007? What are my dreams and goals? How can I wish them into existence? Did that sentence sound strange? Maybe, but I've come to believe in the power of wishful thinking! Last year I wished for a nicer apartment that wouldn't cost me any extra money, that wouldn't require a lease or key money, and that would be close to my work and closer to the station. As impossible as it all seemed, it happened! My former landladies even found the apartment for me and paid for my move!

Then I wished for a new cooktop (stove) that wouldn't cost too much. A brand new one showed up at my door for free, a gift from my new landlady!

Next, I wished for a washing machine of my own (rather than one shared by me and the four male tenants in my small apartment building). Without even asking my landlady for it, one "appeared" on my small patio.

I think that each one of those things was part of a grander plan to convince me about how manifestation works. It's supposed to be EASY! All of our lives we're told to quit wishing and start doing. Well, maybe we've been misled. Maybe life isn't meant to be filled with beating our heads against a wall. Maybe all we need to do is make a sincere wish. Great Avatars have told us this, and it appears in all the holy books of the world. So why do we doubt it? Why in the world would we want to work hard and limit our dreams?

For 2007 I encourage you to WISH, and it shall be yours!

Holiday Wishes

To each and all, I wish you the blessings of the season. May we all remember the spirit of Love that lives in our hearts. May we look upon all of creation as our brothers and sisters, without judgment, and accept them as they are. May we treat the Earth respectfully and use its resources wisely. May we lift up our voices in defense of those who cannot speak for themselves--the children, the animals, the infirm, the aged, the repressed, the poor. May we all live in a peaceful world.

Those are my holiday wishes for each and all.
(image from: www.culture-of-peace.org)

In the holiday mood

Thanks to my very sweet daughter, my room is all Christmas-y looking because she sent me a darling little tree! She even sent ornaments and lights. And then, just for good measure, she sent a beautiful little "Father Christmas," a stocking filled with chocolate bars, cinnamon sticks, and a really cute Christmas card that she made. She was worried that I wouldn't get in the holiday mood if I didn't have my own little tree, so. . .now I'm listening to Christmas music and writing greeting cards while my little Christmas tree twinkles.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. . .

Beautiful fall day on campus

Here are a couple of photos I took last week on the Tokyo Institute of Technology campus where I teach. It was a beautiful fall day and some of the trees looked so golden.



This is where I teach--the Ishikawadai Building. It's very modern and comfortable.






Here's a view inside the lobby where students can relax, study, eat, or even take a nap!

Half of what it used to be!

I've fallen so far behind in my postings that I barely know where to start. Remember the 82-year-old house I used to live in? You can scroll down this page to see the YouTube movie I posted of the way the house looked in September. I went to see its progress today and couldn't believe my eyes! Half of the house is now gone. From the look of things, they should have pulled the entire house down and just started over. Almost nothing of the original house will remain. It's a little strange that such a remodel would be done here in Japan because usually people just tear the whole place down and rebuild.

My landladies seem to be taking it well, or as well as they can. Here's a picture of the older sister, who's quite easy going and very sweet.



The other two tenants had to move out because it was impossible to live there with all the noise and mess. For some reason, the landladies seemed to think--or were led to believe--that the tenants would only need to leave for "a few days" but there's no way they could live with such a mess. The walls all the way around the house are being ripped apart, closets removed, and windows added. It would be impossible to live there with all that is going on, and from the way it looked today, it will be at least a couple more months before it's finished.

Hey, remember me?

So, it's been a while. Just haven't felt the urge to write about anything lately, although there are probably a number of topics rattling around inside my head. For the past month I've just been so darn busy--moving, getting my apartment fixed up and everything unpacked, teaching three days a week at two universities--and now Christmas is just around the corner! That means getting my shopping done and packages and cards mailed.

How can it almost be the end of the year already? Seems like it should only be June or July--not December! Maybe it's hard imagining Christmas because it's been so warm. We're having unseasonably warm weather and I keep hoping it will get cold soon so I can start wearing my winter clothes. Although wearing winter clothes here can also be a problem because the heat's turned so high in most buildings, shops, restaurants, etc. I've actually left stores because they were too hot! So, hard to get my shopping done. . .

While I try not to think about it, this Christmas will be my first one in Tokyo, even though I've been living here since Spring of 2004. I always go visit my daughter and her husband for Christmas, but this year I can't go to the U.S. because I already took my vacation in July/August. Now I have to let the other teachers have priority for their vacation requests. This year, quite a few teachers want to take their vacations at the end of the year, so I'll be staying in Tokyo. Since I'm not going to Las Vegas to spend it with J&T, they'll go to Seattle to visit with the other sets of parents. It just won't seem like Christmas to me, so I'm feeling kind of sad.

But, my friend Judy has invited me to get together with her and a few friends for Christmas dinner. We're going to "Lawry's Tokyo" which will be nice, but not the same as going to "Lawry's Las Vegas" with J&T! For the past three or four years, we've gone to Lawry's for Christmas Eve prime rib. We made the decision to do that so we could have a nice, restful Christmas Eve instead of all our usual, frantic, "last-minute cooking, cleaning, wrapping presents" routine. It was such a nice alternative to go out and have somebody else do the cooking and cleaning. Plus, we always took home the leftovers which made for nice French dip sandwiches on Christmas Day.

I already know that the whole time I'm sitting there in Lawry's Tokyo, my heart will really be with JJ&T, and missing them.

In mid-move

I just have a second but wanted to let everyone know that I might not have access to the Internet for a week or two. Getting hooked up in Tokyo very often takes a month, from my past experience, so I'm being optimistic saying it will only be a week or two. If it looks like it's going to be a while, I'll try to post from an Internet cafe.

For having such a small room (but with one large--by Japanese standards--closet), it sure seems to be taking me a long time to get moved! I've tried to sort and clean things as I went, so maybe that's caused some delays. My bed, sofa (very tiny!), TV (big, bulky and ugly, but hey, it was free!) and nightstand will be picked up and delivered to the new place today. Everything else has been moved 5 blocks either on a hand-cart, or in the back seat and trunk of a friend's car. She had an hour to help me yesterday, so that was great. Unfortunately, today it's raining, so I don't know how I'll get the rest of the things moved, including my futon, comforter, curtains, bathroom stuff and dishes. Since I have a few more days before the demolition starts on the house, I can take a few cart-loads if the rain stops soon. Then it's back to work with a very full schedule this week and working two days from 8:30am to 9:15pm. Ugh!

So, that's about it for now. Again, I promise pictures soon!

Feeling uninspired

I know it's been a while since I've written anything, but besides being busy cleaning, sorting, and packing my things for the move this weekend, I just haven't felt inspired to write anything. Call it writer's block or whatever, but I can't seem to think of anything to write about. Well, actually that's not entirely true. I've thought of a few things, but by the time I get home from work, I've forgotten what it was I thought was so important to write about!

So, I'll bring you up to date with my move. During this whole mess I've discovered that I'm a pig! Yes, a pig! The room that I thought was clean has turned out to be encrusted with a thick layer of dust and alien life forms! I've been coughing and choking on all the dust bunnies and beating myself up because I haven't kept them in tow.

In Tokyo, it's easy to grow dust bunnies as the air here is heavy with pollution--although people tell me that it's so much better now than it was ten years ago. Even if that's true, I could dust and clean every single day and still have to fight my way through an accumulation of dust at the end of the day! I leave my windows open almost all the time, or in the heat of summer, use my A/C. Right now, my A/C is thick with a greasy-feeling layer of dust. It's disgusting.

Having tatami mats makes me also wonder what life forms might be proliferating between the fibers. Many people change their tatami yearly, but I'm sure mine have been in this apartment for many years. While soft and luxurious to walk on, it's got to be a haven for dust and mites. Hence, probably the reason why I developed asthma since living in Japan (which is now, fortunately under control--except that over the past few days I've begun coughing again, probably from pushing around so much dust).

My new digs have wood floors, so that will help a little, but they won't feel nearly as soft to walk on. At least I'll be able to Swiffer the dust away.

I'll post some pictures of my new place tomorrow. I measured it and it's about 140 square feet, so slightly bigger than the place I have now, but with only HALF the closet space! What's a gal to do with so little closet space? Here's a newly remodeled apartment, and there are absolutely NO DRAWERS or CABINETS in the bathroom! Could somebody please explain to me how anybody can live without drawers or cabinets in a bathroom? And how can you have a single closet that's only about 3 feet wide?

Fortunately, the kitchen has 3 cabinets, so that will be nice, but the main dishes/glasses cabinet is so high that I'll need a step stool every time I want to use something. This, in a country of people who are on average about 5 feet tall!

Apparently I found things to write about. More later.

How can this happen?!!

This is a video of what the house looks like where I live right now. It's an 82-year-old house owned and continuously occupied by the same family who built it in 1924, the year after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 in Tokyo.

I live in one of the three small apartments upstiars. I couldn't get a good shot of the roof because I'd have to trespass on the neighbors property to be able to get back far enough, but this house has one of those traditional, very heavy tile roofs.



Hiroko told me this week that, probably in early November, the house will be cut in half. I'm still in shock! This particular house was built on leased land, and the current owner of the land wishes to build a small apartment building on part of the property where this house sits. My landladies (two elderly Japanese sisters) don't have the approximately $430,000 (U.S.) or 50,000,000 yen to pay the land owner to renew their lease for another 20 years, so they must allow half of the house to be "removed."

I still can't believe it will happen! My room is on the second floor on the left in this movie (the two little windows are my kitchen and bathroom). If you draw a line straight down from the smaller bathroom window, that's the part of the house that will be demolished. The room under me is the very large bedroom/art studio/music room occupied by the sister who owns the house. For Tokyo, it's a huge room, and has a sliding door that opens onto a small garden. Her room, my room, and the garden will soon disappear to accomodate yet another ugly, 2-story apartment building that will leave the remaining house boxed in with no sunshine.

It's totally disgusting that such a thing can happen to two lovely Japanese women who, along with five other siblings, were born and raised in this house.

As for me, I'm only a temporary renter, and yet I feel so sad that the women who have become my friends will suffer such a loss! This really sucks!

I'll keep you posted as the demolition unfolds.

Japan's conservatives get their wish

On September 6th, 38-year-old Princess Kiko of Japan gave birth to a son. It's the first male royal child born in 41 years, and it--at least temporarily--set to rest the growing dilemma about whether or not to allow females to ascend to the throne. In a recent poll, 56 percent of Japanese respondents backed a female monarch. However, while Prime Minister Junichiro Koizume "enthusiastically" backed a proposal allowing women on the throne, his likely successor, the conservative chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, "has said he will not rush to take the proposal forward." My understanding is that the royal family is also opposed to a female monarch and pursuaded Mr. Koizumi to "back off" with his support for the proposal.

In a way, I'm relieved that a son was born--if only to take the pressure off poor Princess Masako , Princess Kiko's sister-in-law, who has been under extreme pressure from the Royal Family to bear a son. Harvard- and Oxford-educated Masako was a career diplomat who reluctantly married into the monarchy and crumbled under the pressure to produce a male heir. In late 2004, Masako was excused from her royal duties and went into seclusion due to what the royal family called her "mental illness."

I guess, even in the 21st century, women still get labeled as "mentally ill" for refusing to obey, acquiesce, or bow to those in power.

In Memory of September 11, 2001

WARNING: Graphic and disturbing content

Let's Enjoy Sake!

That was the subject line in an email I got from one of my students, Rumiko. She and her husband took me on a sightseeing trip to Yokohama a few months ago, and now she wanted me to join her at a sake-tasting party that was held last night.

While I've tasted sake a few times, I have to admit I wasn't much of a fan. It was "just OK", but I was still interested in going to a "women only" sake party. I enjoyed the wording on the website sponsoring the party: "This is a women's function however only one man accompanied by a female guest(s) could be admitted if she wish."

Apparently three women wished to be accompanied by a man.

The evening started out after work Saturday, and I was already tired because it was the last day of my work week and I had just taught eleven lessons. On top of that, it was so frickin' hot and humid that I thought I was going to boil inside my skin!

Rumiko met me at work and we headed for the train station. We needed to go to Shibuya and transfer to another train that would take us to Shimokitazawa Station. Every station was packed with people and hot as Hell! When we got to Shimokitazawa Station, we had to walk for about 10 minutes to the building where the party was being held. By the time I got there, I looked like something the cat had dragged in! I was soaking wet from head to toe from the heat and humidity. The temperature, I found out later, was around 98 with the humidity factored in.

So, I made a quick restroom stop where I pulled out my wash cloth (always carry a wash cloth in Japan!) and wiped down my face, neck, and arms to cool off and wipe away the sweat. When I felt that I was minimally presentable, we hit the elevator and went up to the twelfth floor where we were the first to arrive and only had to pay 2500 yen instead of the usual 3500 yen.

The room was set up with three very large, round tables dressed in white linen tablecloths over pink linen cloths. There was another table set up with a nice array of Japanese food, but unforunately I forgot to take pictures! Argh!

Once everyone (about 30 people) had arrived, the tasting began. There were ten different types of sake to be tasted, and I wondered if I would make it through the entire tasting without falling flat on my face! We were given the traditional bamboo sake cups (to keep as souvenirs) and after each round, we were instructed to wipe out the cup with a napkin to get it ready for the next tasting. It took about two hours to taste all ten sakes (is that a word?). After each tasting, Rumiko and I discussed the qualities and then scored the sake. After a few tastings, the shy Japanese women at our table joined in to express their opinions too. Their English was quite good!

Somehow, I managed to make it through all ten tastings without even getting a "buzz!" I think the food helped, and the tastings were very small--maybe a tablespoon or so each.

I was amazed at all the different sake tastes. Like wine, there are mary variations of sweetness and dryness. Some go down smoothly, and others burn all the way down. My favorite was the first one, and I have no idea what it's called in English, but it was smooth and delicious. With each tasting the MC explained how that particular sake was made, what percentage of rice, how long it fermented, etc. I remember one that she said had been set in snow for 180 days which made my mind do some weird things--imagining bottles of sake all in a row, stuck up to their necks in snow! Maybe it was the effect of drinking several shots of sake. . .and also wondering how nice it woud feel this time of year to be stuck up to my neck in snow!

These were my three favorites, in order:



No. 1
This was soooo delicious and smooth all the way down! It was an exceptionally nice, dry sake. Perfect!


No. 2
This sake was also very smooth with just a tad of sweetness. It would taste wonderful with any Japanese food, or nice with snacks.

No. 3
This was a very, very mild-flavored sake. Rumiko said it tasted like water, but I liked it. It would be perfect for sipping ice-cold on a hot day with some light food.

At the end of the party, the winning sake was announced. It was this one, but Rumiko and I didn't care for it at all! I thought it tasted like fire water!



Then we were invited to have free sake cocktails! I didn't know cocktails could be made with sake! I had no idea what to order so just asked the evening's hostess/bartender (who was a great MC!) to fix me whatever she liked. She did an amazing job of combining sake, strawberry liquer, and litchee liquer, shook it over ice, and poured out a beautiful pink, viscous-y drink in a tiny martini-shaped glass. It reminded me of a Cosmopolitan. Yum yum! Rumiko chose a sake/kahlua combination served in a tiny glass shaped like a beer mug.

Soon after that, the party ended and we began our trek home around 10pm. While I had hoped it would have cooled down a little by then, it really hadn't because the humidity had climbed even higher. By the time I got home, it was nearly 11pm and I was exhausted and sweaty again! Couldn't wait to hit the shower and go to bed! I'm such a wuss!

The party was fun, though, and I always enjoy Rumiko's company. Maybe we can go to another tasting party when the weather cools down.

No memory

Well, actually that headline should be "no memory cards" but I have to admit that my own memory isn't so great either. Seems that I forgot my digital camera memory cards in Las Vegas, so those of you who have been waiting for more pictures of my trip will have to wait a little while longer. They should arrive by mail in the next week, I hope, and then I can post more pictures of my month-long trip to the U.S.

Stay posted.

Crows

Over the years, I've become quite fascinated with the superior intelligence of crows. Most people seem to hate them, but I think they're a joy to observe. For instance, one time, while driving down a winding country road, I saw what looked like a million crows on the narrow two-lane road ahead. I slowed down to see what had attracted them. As I approached closer, I saw that the crows were standing in absolute silence on both sides of the road, peering into the middle of the lane where one of their own had been killed, most likely by a car. It looked exactly like a funeral procession! I think the crows had lined up to witness the death and give an official send-off to their fallen comrade! Perhaps it was a crow with special status in their group. Who knows for sure? At any rate, it was amazing to watch and I felt a sense of sorrow as they stood in perfect silence.

Here's another example of crow inteligence, although it might seem a little risky to the casual observer!

Telling it like it is

Keith Olbermann is truly a man of great courage and should be applauded for his willingness to stand up to this administration, and to Rumsfield in particular. Equating dissent about the war in Iraq with "moral confusion" is sheer lunacy and Rumsfield should be relieved of his duties immediately.

So near and yet so far. . .

Today I hauled my suitcase, laptop and tote bag over to a friend's apartment where I will be cat-sitting her two cats for the next three weeks. I kept procrastinating because it was so bleeping hot and humid that I didn't want to leave my apartment.

Finally, I went downstairs to ask my dear, sweet landladies if they would mind calling a taxi for me. Not speaking Japanese is really a pain sometimes, but I'm glad to have such nice landladies who are always so willing to help me. I feel bad asking them to do these kinds of things, but they always seem so willing to help.

I gave them a sheet of paper where I had very carefully written out the address where I needed to go. I also carefully explained that I would need to be dropped at the front door of the "mansion" (the word used by the Japanese to describe a brick, high-rise apartment building), and not at the back of the building which faces the main road.

It took an incrediby and unbelievably long time to get this information delivered in a way that they could expedite the instructions to the taxi driver. When he showed up, exactly on time, he got out his map and huddled with the landladies. After what seemed to be, I swear to gawd, another 15 minutes of instructions and intense studying of the map in the blistering heat, where sweat poured down my face and back, I explained that once we got in the general vicinity I could help direct him to the apartment building. My landladies reviewed "hidari" (left) and "miggi" (right) with me so I could tell him which direction to turn.

My destination was approximately 2.5 miles away.

Now, is it just me or do you think it's ok for an experienced taxi driver to not know how to find an address only 2.5 miles away? While I see GPS systems in many taxis and private cars, this taxi was equipped with only a book of maps.

When we got to the general vicinity, he started quizzing me in Japanese and I'm assuming he was hoping I could understand him and answer in perfect Japanese, even though the ladies told him that I didn't speak any Japanese. As he nervously drove around, I began to recognize the area and began giving him my simple and rehearsed directions, "hidari, hidari, kudasai!" One-way streets didn't help, but after a few minutes, we approached the eight-story building and we both saw it at the same time. I gave a hoot of recognition, "hai, hai, hai, hai" and he grinned with relief.

So, here I sit, with my two cat-pals, listening to Chopin's Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor on my computer, and life is good.

Roberto's Taco Shop!

The first thing I had to do when we arrived in Las Vegas was go to Roberto's Taco Shop for some tamales! Oh, were they delicious! And the Margarita (not pictured) that went with it was fab!



The food I always miss the most when I'm out of the U.S. is Mexican food. While it can be found in Japan, it takes some looking and costs a lot more. This tamale dinner (takeout) cost $5.